Orange SCORE

The Dow is at an all time low. One year ago today, the dow broke a record high at 14,165. Today, it closed at 8,579.19. That’s over 5,585 points LOST within one year.

Many banks are failing, merging, or being taken over.

The Fed is cutting rates and bailing out some of the largest companies in America.

GM’s stock value has shrunk from 52 billion dollars in 2000 down to 3.8 billion in 2008.

Homes are foreclosing in record numbers throught the United States.

So, the question is…with so much volitility, where do you invest your money right now?

I’m no financial guru, but I can tell you from experience, that the best investment right now is investing in your own business.

With so much happening right now, if you own your business, or are in sales, NOW is the time to start prospecting smarter.

Here are a few tips to get you going:

1) Review your existing advertising budget. See what’s working and what’s not working. Stop the strategies or ads that are not working, and invest that amount in something else more targeted to your market.

2) Review your advertising message. Whether you advertise on radio, cable, tv, newspaper, direct mail, internet, or anywhere else — you must ensure that the message is targeted to your market. You must ensure that for every dollar you invest in advertising, you maximize it by finding the message that works best for you. If your advertising is not producing results, stop throwing your money away. By the same token, ensure that you increase your budget for ads or media which is currently giving you excellent returns.

3) Go back to basics. Review your marketing plan and do the things that always worked for you.

4) Think outside the box. If going back to basics does not work, start thinking outside the box. Think of ways to get the message about your products or services. Discuss ideas with other business owners, your staff, industry magazines, etc.

5) Attend networking events. The more visible you are within your target market, the more effective your marketing will be.

6) Continue your education. If your business is stagnant right now, and nothing seems to be working, seek professional help, or purchase books, courses, and any information that will help you promote your business.

One place to get free information on ways to attract more customers is at www.HowToAttractCustomers.com. You will be able to download two workbooks that will give you many strategies to attract customers.

If you’d like to purchase a great course on Marketing on the Internet and creating a strong business foundation for your business, you can visit www.InternetMarketingMasteryWeekend.com.